Ancient ritual complex unearthed at site tied to biblical city in Ezekiel: 'Still holds many secrets'

Officials recently unveiled the remains of an ancient religious complex at a site often identified with a biblical city cited in the Old Testament.

Tell el-Farama was once the ancient city of Pelusium - and is sometimes identified with a biblical city called "Sin," mentioned in the Book of Ezekiel.

Archaeologists believe the basin was used continuously from the second century B.C. to the sixth century A.D.

"It was filled with water mixed with Nile silt, symbolizing a connection to the god Pelusios, whose name is derived from the Greek word 'pelos,' meaning 'mud,'" officials said in a translated statement.

The discovery was years in the making. 

In 2019, archaeologists uncovered just a fraction of a circular red-brick structure that later revealed the entire complex.

In Ezekiel 30:15, God says, "I will pour out my wrath on Sin, the stronghold of Egypt."

The biblical city of Sin has been identified with Pelusium since early Greek translations of the Bible, with some modern versions still noting the connection in footnotes.

In a statement, Sherif Fathy, the minister of Tourism and Antiquities, said the basin discovery "underscores the strategic and archaeological importance of North Sinai, which is rich in promising sites that still hold many secrets."

The discovery is one of several notable finds recently announced in Egypt.

The site was established between the fourth and sixth centuries A.D.